THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD closes on Broadway today

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 7:45am

It ends its limited run today at Studio 54. It was a truly wonderful production, and a shame that it has to go so soon. It was originally scheduled to close on February 10th, but was extended by 4 weeks. If anyone is at the final performance, please report back if there were any speeches or something of the sort.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 8:03am

I loved every second and wish the cast and crew well It is a shame this has to close so soon.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 9:49am

My favorite musical of the season so far! (Granted, I have yet to see those that just started previews.) Glad I caught it twice.

I wish it well as far as Tony noms go, it certainly deserves some, but fear their closing now will impact their win possibilities.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 10:29am

I saw the first performance following Sandy. What a great tonic it was!

I do fear it'll be overwhelmed by the productions opening in the spring come award time, though. I'd love to see Betsy Wolfe or Jessie Mueller manage a nomination.

[followspot]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 10:43am

One of the best times I've EVER had at the theatre — my first-ever three-peater, as I returned for a third visit this weekend to soak it all in one last time. Glorious cast (both vocally and comedically, mining more and more laughs as the run went on), sublime design work, perfect fit in Studio 54 (loved the orchestra in the boxes), and boundless happy audience energy. (Not Rock of Ages happy, genuine theater-lover happy.) We knock Roundabout a lot here, but this is one time they got it absolutely right — right down to the signage and lobby decoration. Congrats and thanks to director Scott Ellis and everyone involved!!

Updated On: 3/11/13 at 10:43 AM

[wickedfan11]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 10:51am

I had so much fun when I saw this production about a month ago! Every element of the production wowed me. Sad to see it go.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 10:55am

I don't understand why they didn't extend through the summer, I have never heard anything negative about this show from anybody.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 11:04am

I was lucky enough to catch this production twice...best of luck to all involved!

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 11:05am

After I saw this production, I wanted to punch whoever decided it was a limited run.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 11:43am

So sad. One of my favorite shows I've ever seen. I'm sure the final performance will be an exuberant send-off to this amazing cast+show.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 11:59am

GingerBread -- it didn't become an open ended run because people simply weren't buying tickets in numbers that warranted its staying open. Had people been flocking to see it, it WOULD have extended.

It never made more than 56% of its potential gross -- and that was only the week of xmas! It's average of the potential gross was under 38% You can't keep throwing more money into the show.

I loved it, but it just couldn't find its audience.



Stats

[Kad]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:04pm

It hasn't even been selling out its final performances. If you wanted to get a ticket, you'd have no problem at all.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:21pm

The fact that a show this well-done couldn't find an audience says more about our taste as theatergoers than it says about the show itself.

So unfortunate to see such an original, well-cast, exuberant piece of theatre leave us so we can watch a thousand more generic pop-rock movie-to-stage adaptations come in, but it is what it is.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:25pm

It doesn't say anything about "us", but plenty about the general public -- but this is nothing new.

We have so many wonderful shows, that because they need the audience to think (and perhaps take a chance) that don't meet with financial success.

Drood
Ragtime
The Scottsboro Boys

are just a few of my favorite shows of recent years that didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of succeeding. I loved them and are incredibly grateful I was able to see their beauty.

On the other hand, no one thought Next to Normal had a chance either!

Bless those willing to try!

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:28pm

Dramamama, by "us' I meant the broader us like..those who go to theatre. You're absolutely right that people on this board are, as a group, more likely to give shows like Drood, Ragtime, Scottsboro, etc. a chance.

I guess I just thought "Drood" was easier to swallow than the other two you mentioned, it's fairly light-hearted and a true raucous good time, I thought it might've caught on a little more than it did. :) Even though it's sad to see it go, I hope we can all still find ways to be optimistic about supporting shows like this in the future.

Now I gotta go find my waterproof mascara before I go see this one last time.

[choitoy]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 12:55pm

One of my biggest regrets this year is that I was never able to get a chance to see Drood, since I couldn't find a way to make a trip to NY work out. Best of luck to the cast and crew. I hope they are remembered at Tony time, and maybe get to perform something from the show on there.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:10pm

Wish it would've stuck around long enough for me to see it in May. I heard nothing but great things about this production. Was this recorded for Lincoln Center Archives?

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:13pm

Yes, it was recorded for the archives :)

[Mrs. Bumbrake]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:19pm

I was lucky enough to see it three times and loved it! I wish I could have gone to the final performance today. My biggest regret is that I didn't get to see Eric Sciotto play Jasper - I love him and I'm sure he was amazing in that role. I also wish I could have seen Crisparkle as the murderer - every time we went it was Rosa. I wish the cast well and look forward to seeing them in other productions.

[bobs3]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:29pm

It's closing. Good. Hopefully the "CHITA IS OUT OF DROOD" thread will finally disappear.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 1:58pm

Well, now I kind of want it to stick around.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 2:09pm

There goes the Tony.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 2:51pm

Does anyone know what the ending was when they filmed it for the archives?

My biggest regret is that I didn't get to see Eric Sciotto play Jasper - I love him and I'm sure he was amazing in that role.

I saw Sciotto play Jasper last weekend. I thought he was too young and not a baritone, but he did his own thing and made it work. He kept flipping his hair back the whole show, which was pretty hilarious.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 2:54pm

I originally said they filmed it when I was there last...but now I'm actually not sure. They were filming ONE of the shows I went to see, but it could have been Drood, The Other Place or Who's Afraid.

Sorry for my lack of accurate memory on this!

Updated On: 3/10/13 at 02:54 PM

[wonkit]

Posted: 3/10/13 at 4:29pm

I loved this production, and wish everyone involved much future success.